By Dale Tarr, NERC Reliability Specialist
The ongoing effort to register Inverter Based Resources (IBRs) continues as regions transition from identification to outreach amid IBR Registration Milestone Phase 2. The July 2024 request for information (RFI) sent to Balancing Authorities and Transmission Owners, used to identify registration candidates, netted 365 responses by early November.
The validation of these responses supplied a list for a follow up request for information, beginning in early December 2024. The responses from the second request will be utilized to obtain additional facility data to confirm whether the entities meet the new Category 2 Generator Owner/Operator (GO/GOP) criteria. The application of the Category 2 registration criteria is like the BES inclusion of dispersed power producing resources except the threshold for Gross Aggregate Nameplate Capacity is now >= 20 MVA and a connection voltage of >= 60 kV.
The second request will also be divided into two release sections with the first going to entities that already have a NERC registered asset of some sort. Following the initial release, entities that have until now not had exposure to NERC or related standards will be contacted. The content of the RFI will be due to the regional portal within 45 days of the request date and will contain requests for one-line diagrams, generator operating agreements, generator interconnection agreements, and a GO/GOP asset verification form.
In addition to gathering information, NERC provides outreach through an assortment of webinars and workshops. On November 13th, NERC held an IBR Resource Registration initiative webinar that provided updates to the IBR Milestones, applicable NERC standards updates (see figure below), compliance expectations as well as a regional entity panel providing introductions and contact information for registration representatives. Concurrently with the regions, E-ISAC is continuing to support engagement and outreach via monthly cyber security working group meetings with the Solar Energy Industries Association, a presentation at the November 13th IBR webinar and a dedicated renewables session at the October GridSecCon.
Continuing on into 2025, NERC will be hosting a two-day industry engagement titled “Reliable IBR Integration and Milestone 3 of FERC order 901”, the directive issued to instruct NERC to develop new and revised standards to ensure reliable performance of IBRs.
Day one of the engagement workshop will be held on January 15th, 2025, from 8:30am to 4:30pm MST in person in Phoenix, Arizona as well as a virtual option to attend. This session will cover IBR integration and NERC engineering with technical presentations and panel discussions. Day two of the webinar, January 16th, from 8:30am to 4:30pm MST will start with the history and objectives of Order 901 Milestone 3 and end with a presentation of Milestone 3 updates from the associated drafting teams.
Once the RFI responses from identified IBR registration candidates are validated, the next stages of the workplan will involve sending additional registration communication to candidates. Training will then be held for the newly registering entities on the Centralized Organization Registration ERO System (CORES). The ERO Enterprise will also be providing ERO Enterprise 101 Informational Packages and onboarding checklists with guidance to the newly registering entities. These activities will lead to the completion of registration of the newly designated Category 2 GO/GOP IBRs into the fold of a more reliable and robust Bulk Electric System.